Spring seat construction



,June 8, 1954 J. D. CATON 2,680,475

SPRING SEAT CONSTRUCTION Filed June 3, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q H\jzs'eyz Q BY AHA/w;

June 8, 1954 J. D. CATQN 2,680,475 SPRING SEAT CONSTRUCTION Filed June3, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

gar v *0. 6 42 07! BY Patented June 8, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,680,475 SPRING SEAT CONSTRUCTION Joseph D. Caton, Detroit, Mich.,assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland corporation of Delaware Park,Mich., a

Application June 3, 1950, Serial No. 165,938 27 Claims. (Cl. 155179)vehicles such that the passengers are given a cradled ride, that is withthe several front and rear seat units located between the front and rearwheel room for the passengers in the rear seat or a rearwardly disposedseat of a motor vehicle or the like.

the seat unit rearwardly thereof.

It is a further vide a spring CllShlOIl construction that has a It isanother object of this invention to provide a spring cushionconstruction that includes a reedge thereof adapted to receive thepassengers feet.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparentfrom a reading of the attached description and a consideration of therelated drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a seat cushion emconstruction;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the cushion unit shown in Fig. 1 butdrawn to a slightly reduced scale; 1 7

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation of the cushion disclosing theconstruction at the rear side thereof, direction of the arrow 3 in Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged,

cushion unit;

Fig. 51s a fragmentary end elevational View of a modified form of thisinvention; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top apart, parallel, wires 22 hour-glass or assprings 24 Supported on the top coils of the border springs of thecushion unit C is a rectangularly shaped upper border frame 38. Upperborder fram 3%] comprises inner and outer spaced apart wires or rods 3iand 32 that are connected together by the plate-like clips 33. Upperborder frame 39 has the wire members SI and 32 thereof connected to theupper coils of the border springs 23 and 24 b hog rings 35 or the like.

Pivotally connected between the most rearwardly disposed, lower frame,spring supporting wire or rod 22 and the front or forward side of theupper border frame as are a pair of pivot arms 31. Arms 31 act as pivotlinks to stabilize the movement of the upper border fram as. The lowerends of rods 31 are wrapped around the associated lower springsupporting wire 22 in a manner that provides a relatively inexpensivepivot connection. This pivot connection is shown at .38. A'similar typeof connection may be used at the upper ends of arms 31 to connect thearms 3'! to the upper border frame 38.

It will be noted.from Eig l-3, .that the cone type coil springs 2d arelocated considerably forward of th rear edgeof the cushion unit C. Thiprovides an unoccupied space or opening 45 at the rear of cushion C thatis specifically adapted to provide room for the feet of theoccupant ofthe seat unit-that is locatedrearwardly of the cushion unit C. It is theseating surface of cushion C above the space 46 must be constructedin amanner that provides an adequate resilient support for the loads appliedthereto and this is accomplished by the particular construction hereindisclosed.

Mounted on each or the top coils of the coil springs 2.4, so as toextend rearwardly therefrom. is a flat, sinuously shaped spring stripii. The forwardly projecting end of each spring strip ii is connected tothe upper coil of a spring 2:3 by the hog rings Q2. It willbe noted thatthe spring strips Q! extend completely across the upper coils of thesprings 25 and have a pair of spaced straight legs thereof connected todiametrically opposite portions of the upper coils of the springs 24 bythe'hog rings 32. This gives a firm support for the forward end of thespring strips 41. Each strip M has a relatively-fiat portion d3 thatextends rearwardly to the rear side of the top border frame 3%. Thestraight leg of the spring strip portion3 that is located beneath theouter wire 32 of the rear side of border frame 36 is connected to thesuperimposed 32 by a plate-type clip to, projecting beyond or from theclip connected rear end'portion ofthe fiat portion 53 is formed as aso-called fish-mouth or l -shaped hinging section composed of'theforwardly converging hinge leg portions 45 and 15 respectively. Thefree, rearwardly disposed, end 68 of hinge leg portion 46is'pivotally'connectedto the channel-shaped, rearwardly disposed,intermediately arranged, border frame member iii. Th connection of thefree end 38 of hinge leg portion 46 to the intermediately disposedborder frame element i5 is clearly shown in Fig. i. It will be seen fromFig. 4 that a number of pivot pin receiving portions M are punched outof theborder frame member [6 and the free ends 33 of th spring striphinge portions 46 are merely'inserted through the pivot pin openings 3?formedin thechannel member l6 and anchored therein by bending the tipsof the spring strip pivot pin ends 48 outwardly. This method ofvconnecting sinuously shaped spring strips to border frames is wellknown-in border frame wire The portion of strip 5i obvious that theportion of person located rearWa-rdly of the r coil springs 23 or struts'49 are located in 1 ends of the strips the lower border framerear sideelement .18 bya the art and therefore it is not needs furtherdescription.

The opposite ends of the, intermediate, rear border frame member 15 areheld in the position intermediate the frames 18 and 33 by the supportlegs 15 that are carried by the upturned ends i of the lower borderframe members IZand l3. To provide additional support for theintermediate border frame member 16, a pair of brace struts or wires 49,positioned "centrally of the length of the cushion C, may be rigidlyconnected between the intermediate border frame member if: and the lowerborder frame in. These wires the space M at the rear of the cushion'unitbut they occupy such a little space that the space do is practicallyunobstructed for the full length of the cushion C.

It is thought that the above description of this invention clearlybrings out that a cushion unit having excellent load supportingcharacteristics has been provided which unit also providesa recess orspace ll) along the rear side thereof to receive the feet andportions-of the legs or the cushion C. The and 2d are located at thepoints where the majority of the load is to b supported so as to insurethe maximum in resilient load sup-port. The fish-mouthed spring hingingstrips il, located above the space Atatthe rear side of the cushion C,provide the necessary resilience for the rear portion of the loadsupporting surface while occupying very little space in the cushion unitthus providing the unobstructed space or recess ts to accommodate thefeet of the person located rearwardly of the cushion C. By usinginverted cone type springs Ed in the rearwardly disposed row of springsadjacent the space to, it is possible to obtain themaximum space at thelocation where it is most needed.

Figs. 5 and 6 showa modified form of themvention which is similar to-theFig. l to 4 form in many respects. All similar parts in the .two cushionconstructions bear the same reference numerals. The lower border frame19 of Figs. 5 and 6 is similar to the lower border frame 19 of Fig. 1except for the free ends 14 of the side frame elements i2 and 13 whichfree ends l4 do not support leg elements 15. In Figs. 5 and 6 therearwardly disposed, intermediate border frame element to is completelyomitted. In this form ofthe invention therear side of the upper'borderframe as has the upper free ends of the arched, flat, sinuously shaped,spring strips 5! connected thereto by the plate-type clips 52. The lowerfree 5! are pivotally anchored to thought that it clipped or punchedconnection 53 that maybe similar to the connection '41, 48 for the endsof hinge legs 4% of springstrips ii. It will be noted that spring strips5! are located between the rear row of cone-type coil springsZ-i so thatthe lower ends of strips 51 may be easily connected to the lower framemember 18. The rear portion of the cushion unit C shown in Figs. hand 6does'not have the same amount of resilient supporting surface as thecushion C shown in Figs. 1-4 but due to the rear edge of cushion C beingusually located beneath the loweredge of l a back-cushion unit, thecushion construction C" has been found to be quite satisfactory andeconomicalas well as providing the toe and leg space 58 that is sonecessary in currently designed motorvehi'cles. Spring strips 5! actboth as'np'per border frame stabilizing elements and spring supportsthus they provide a dual function.

braces, a substantially rectangular upper border frame connected to theupper coils of the border coil spring elements located along the frontside and the end edges of the spring unit, the rear side of said upperborder frame being spaced l rearwardly of the border coil springelements cated adjacent the rear side of the lower border frame so as todefine a rearwardly opening re-' cess along the rear side of the springunit, and tie spring strips bridging at least in part the recess alongthe rear side of the spring unit.

2. A spring unit including in combination a lower border framecomprising oppositely arranged, connected, side and end frame elements,spaced braces extending between oppositely arranged frame elements ofsaid lower border frame, vertically extending coil spring elementsmounted on certain of said braces, an upper border frame connected tothe upper coils of the border coil spring elements located along thefront side and the end edges of the spring unit, the rear side of saidupper border frame being spaced rearwardly of the border coil springelements adjacent the rear side of the lower borderframe to define arearwardly opening recess along the rear side of the spring unit, anintermediate border frame member supported by the lower border frame andarranged to extend along the upper portion of the recess along the rearside of the spring unit intermediate the upper andlower coils of thecoil spring elements, spring strip elements mounted on and extendingbetween the rear side of the upper border frame and the upper coils ofthe coil spring elements located adjacent the rear side of the springunit so as to bridge the recess along the rear side of the spring unit,and spring elements connected between the rear side of the upper borderframe and the intermediate border frame member to resist and controlrelative movement therebetween.

3. A spring unit including in combination a substantially rectangularlower border frame comprising oppositely arranged, connected, side andend frame elements disposed so as to have the rear side frame elementthereof positioned forwardly ofthe rear edge of the spring unit,

frame, coil spring elements mounted in spaced relation on certain ofsaid braces, resilient means connecting the upper coils of the coilspring elements, a substantially rectangular upper border frameconnected to the upper coils of the border upper and lower coils of thecoil spring elements, and sinuously shaped spring strips mounted on andextending between the rear sideof the upper border frame and the uppercoils of the coil spring elements located adjacent the rear side of 1spring unit, said spring strips having portions thereof connected to theintermediate border frame to provide a resilient support for the rearside of the upper border frame.

4. A spring unit including in combination a lower border framecomprising oppositely arside and end frame elements lower border framecomprising oppositely arelements, sinuously shaped spring strips;mountedon and extending' between th rear :zsideof the'upper border frame'an'd:the upper-coils of the coil spring elements locatedzadjacent the rearside of the spring unit so asto bridge the recess along the rear sideOf'lthB spring unit and resilient means supported between theintermediate border framemember and the rear side of the upper borderframeimember.

.6. A spring unit including in combination ,a lower border framecomprising-oppositely -ar ranged,'connected, side-and end frame elementsdisposed so as to have thexrear side frame element thereof positionedforwardly .of the rear edge'of the spring unit, spaced braces extendingbetween oppositely arranged frame elements of said lower border frame,vertically extending coil spring elements mounted, in spaced relation oncertain of said braces, an upper border frame connected to the uppercoils of the border coil spring elements located along the front sideand the end edges of the spring-unit, the rear side of said upper borderframe :being spaced rearwardly of the coil spring elements adjacent therear side at the lower border frame so as to define a rearwardly openingrecessed space in the rear side of the spring unit, an intermediateborder frame member of channel-shaped cross section supported .byvertically extending legs projecting from the rearwardly disposed endsof the lower border frame and elements, said intermedate border frameelement being arranged to extend along-the rear side of the spring unitintermediate the upper and lower coils of the coil spring elements,-spring strips having spaced apart straight leg portions fixedly mountedon the upper coils of the border coil spring elements located adjacentthe rear side of the springunit, and other spaced portions of the springstrips being connected to the rear side of the upper borderframe so thatsaid spring strips bridge the .rearwardly opening space at the rearsideof the spring unit.

I. A spring unit includingin .combinationa lower border frame comprisingoppositely arranged, connected, side and end frameelements disposed soas to have the rear side frame element thereof positioned forwardly ofthe rear edge of the spring unit, spaced braces extending betweenoppositely. arranged frame elements of said lower border frame,vertically extending coil spring elements mounted in spaced relation-oncertain of said braces, an upper border frame connected-to the uppercoils of the border coil spring elements located along the front sideandthe end edges of the spring unit, the rear-side of said upper borderframe being spaced rearwardly of the coil spring elements adjacent therear side atthe lower border frame so as to define a rear- Wardlyopening recessed space in the rear side of the spring unit, anintermediate border frame member of channel-shaped cross sectionsupported by vertically extending legs projecting from the rearwardly'disposed ends of the lower border frame and elements, said intermediateborder frame element being arranged to extend along the rear side of thespring unit intermediate the upper and lower coils of theeoil springelements, and'sinuously shaped spring strips having spaced. apartstraight leg portions fixedly mounted on the upper coils of the-bordercoil spring elements located adjacent'the rear side of the spring unit,other spaced portions of the spring strips being connected to the rearside of the upper border frame so that said spring and sinuously shapedstrips "bridgesthe rearwardly :op'ening:space;at=2the rearside of thespring'unit, and resilient means connected between the intermediateborder frame member and the rearlside'of theupper border frame resistingrelative movement therebetween.

8. A spring innit including in combination a lower border:frame'comprising oppositely arranged, connected, side and end frameelements disposed so as to have the rear side "frame element thereofpositioned forwardly ofithe rear edge'of the spring unit,.spaced" bracesextending between oppositely arrangedxframe elements-of said lowerborder frame, vertically extending coil spring elements mounted inspaced relationon certain of said braces, an upper border "frameconnected to the upper coils-of the border coil spring elements locatedalongthe front side and theend edges of the spring unit, the rear sideof said upper border frame being spaced rearwardly of the coil springelements adjacent 'the rearsideat the lower border frameso as to definea 'rearwardly opening'recessed space in:the rear side of the springunit, an intermediate border frame member of channel-shaped crosssection supportedby vertically extending legs projecting from therearwardly disposed ends of the'lower border frame and elements, saidintermediate border frarneelementbeing arranged to extend along the rearside of the spring unit :intermediate :the upperand lower coils 'of thecoil spring elements, and sinuously shaped spring stripshaving spacedapart straight leg portions nxedlymounted on the upper coils oftheborder coil spring elements located-adjacent the rear side of thespring unit, other spaced portions of thespring stripsbeing connected tothe rear side of the upper border frame so that said spring stripsbridge the rearwardly opening space'at the rear side of the springcunit,said resilient means having portions thereof pivotally mounted inperforated openings in said intermediate border frame member and otherportions anchored to the rear side of said upper frame.

9. A spring unit including in combination a lower border framecomprising oppositely arran ed, connected, side and end frame elements,spaced braces extending between oppositely arranged frame elements ofsaid lowerborder frame, vertically extending coil spring elementsmounted on certain of said braces, an upper border frame connected tothe upper coils of the border coil spring elements located along thefront sideand the end edges of the spring unit,

7 the rear side of said upper'border frame being spaced rearwardly ofthe coil spring elements located adjacent the rear side of the springunit so as to define a rearwardly opening recess in-the rearside of thespring unit, and concavely arched, forwardly extending, sinuouslyshaped, spring strips connected between the rear side of theupper-border frame and the rearsideframe element of the lower borderframe element, said spring strip being adapted to resist-relative moveiment between said upper and lower border frames and to bridge therearwardly opening recess in therear side of theispring unit.

10. Aspring unit including in combination a lower border framecomprising oppositely arranged, connected, side. and end frame elements,spaced braces extending between oppositely arranged frame elements ofsaid lowerborder frame, vertically extending coil spring elementsmounted-oncertain of said braces, "an upper border frame-- connected tothe upper coils of border border coil spring the the front side and thespring unit.

12. A spring unit including in combination a nected to the upper coilsof the border coil spring elements located frame elements, said latterspring elements bridging the aforementioned recess along the rear sideof the spring unit, said sinuously shaped the rear side of the springunit.

13. A spring unit including in combination a mentioned recess along therear side of the spring unit.

14. A spring unit including in combination a lower border framecomprising oppositely arrear side of the spring unit being of inverted,conical ments bridging the aforementioned recess along the rear side ofthe spring unit.

15. A spring unit lower border frame means including a res1l1ent portionto permit some relative movement therebetween. v

' 16. A spring unit including in combination a lower border framecomprising oppositely arranged, connected, side and endframe elementsdisposed s0 asto have the rear side frame element thereof positionedforwardly of the .rear edge of thespring unit, spaced braces-extendingbetween oppositely arranged frame elements of said lower border. frame,coil spring elements mounted in spaced relation on certainofsaid braces,resilient means connecting the upper: coils of .the coil springelements, an upper-border frame connected vto the upper coils oftheborder coil spring elements located along the front side andthe endedges of the spring unit, the rear sideof said upper border frameprojecting rearwardiy of the coil spring elements adjacent the rearvsideof the spring unit to define arearwardly opening recess therebeneathalong, therear side of the springunit, an intermediate border framemember supported by the rearwardly disposed ends of the lower borderframe end elements and arranged toextend along the. rear side ofthespring unit intermediate the upper and lower coils. of the coilspring elements, and sinuously shaped spring strips...mountedon: andextending between the rear side of the .upper border frame andtheuppercoilsofthe coil spring elements located adjacent the rear side of thespring unit so as to bridge the recessalong the vrearside ofthe springunit,

said sinuously shaped. spring stripsv includinga substantially V-shapedhinging portion extendingbetween and. connectedto the rear side oftheupper border. frame. and the intermediate border frame. member...

17. A spring unit includingincombination a lower .border frame.comprising oppositely arranged, connected, side and end frameelementsdisposed. so. as. to .have the. rear. sideframe element thereofpositioned forwardly of the. "rear edge ofzthespring unit,spacedbracesextending between oppositely arranged frame elements of saidlower border frame, coil springelements mounted. in spaced relation 7on: certain of said braces,,resilient meansconnectingthe upper coils ofthe coil spring, elements, an upperborder frame connectedto theupper.coils of the. border coil spring. elements located-along the .front sideand the end .edges .ofthe. spring unit, the rear side of said upperborder. frame projectingrearwardly of thecoilspring elements adjacenttherear side ofthespring .unitto define a rearwardly opening recess.therebeneath. along, the .rearwside. of the spring .unit, ,anintermediate border frame member supportedby therearwardly disposed endsof. the lowerborder frameend elements and arranged to extendalongtherear. side of thespring unit intermediate theupperand lowercoilsof the coil spring elements, and sinuouslyshaped-spring strips.mounted! on and extending between the rearsideof .the upper border frameand the upper coils of the coil spring-elements located adjacentthe rearside of the springunitso as to bridge the. recess along the rear sideofzthe spring unit, said sinuously shapedspring strips including; asubstantially V-shaped hinging portionextending between and connected tothe rear side of the upper border-frame andsthe intermediate borderframe member, the substantially V-shapedspring hinging-portions beingarranged with the legs thereof converging toward the front side of thespring unit and being located inthe upper por tion-of the space betweenthe rear side'of the spring unit and the coil spring elements along therear side of the spring unit.

18. A spring unit including in combination a lower border frame.comprising oppositely arranged, connected, side and endframe elements 12disposed seas to have the rear side frame. element thereofpositionedforwardly of the rear edgeof the. spring unit, spaced braces extendingbetween oppositely. arranged frame elements of said lower border frame,coil. spring elements mounted in spaced relation on certainof saidbraces, resilient means connecting the upper coilsof the coil springelements, an upper border frame connected to the upper .coils oftheborder coil spring elements located along the front side and the endedges of the spring unit, therear side of said upper border frameprojecting rearwardly of the coil spring elements adjacent the rear sideof the springunit to define a rearwardly opening recess therebeneathalong itherear side ofzthe spring unit, an-intermediateborderframe-member supported by the rearwardly disposed ends of the lowerborder frame and elements and arranged to extend along, the rearsideofthe spring unitintermediate the upperand lower coils ofthecoilspringelements, .sinuously shaped spring strips mounted on andextending between the rearside; of the upper border frame andtheuppercoils ofthecoil spring elements located. adjacent the :rear sideofthe, spring unit so. as tobridgerthe recess along the nearv sideof thespring .unit,.said sinuously shaped spring. strips. including asubstantially V-shaped hinging. portion extending between and connectedto the rear side. of the upper border frame and the mterinediateborderframe memben-the substantially v -shaped spring hinging portions beingarranged with thelegs thereof converging towards thefront side ofthe.spring unit and being located in the upper portion of-the spacebetweenithe rear side .of thespringunit. and the-coil spring elementsalong the rear. side of the spring unit, andbrace means connected:between the rear side ofthe. lowerborder frame and-,-the. intermediateborder frame.-

of the. springnnit, spaced-braces extending be-- tween oppositelyarranged frame elements of said lower border frame, coil springelementsmounted in spaced.relationyoncertain of. said braces, resilient, means,connecting .the upper coils of the coil springelements,-anupper-border-frame connected to the upper. coils of theborder-coil spring elements located along the front side and the endedges of .thespring unit, therear side of said upper border frame.projecting, rearwardly of the coil w spring elements adjacent the-rearside of the spring unit to define a rearwardly opening recesstherebeneath alongthe-rear side of the spring unit,-an.inter mediateborder frame member supported by the rearwardlyidisposed ends of thelower. border frame end elements-and arranged to extend alongthe'rearside-of the spring unit intermediate theupper and lower coils of thecoil spring elements, sinuously shaped spring strips mounted .on andextending between the rear side of the upper border frame and the uppercoils of the coil spring elements-located adjacent the rear side -ofthespring unit so as to bridge the recess along the rear side of the springunit, said sinuouslyshaped spring strips including a substan- "tiallyV-shaped hinging portion extending between-and connected-to the rearside of the upper border frame and the intermediate border frame member,the substantially V-shaped spring hinging portions being, arranged. withthe legs thereof, converging towards-the front side of the having aV-shaped end portion secured between the rearmost coil springs and therear elevated frame portion.

the top of the V-shaped end portions thereof.

25. In a spring cushion assembly, a base frame having a central andforward portion for sup- 14 porting coil springs and a portionrearwardiy thereof elevated above springs mounted on the base in thecentral and portions thereof, zigzag spring strips having a V-shaped endportion secured between the rearmost coil springs and the rear elevatedhaving a base with the rear portion thereof offset upwardly andrearwardly to provide a free springs interconnecting springs, and aresilient strip interconnecting said zigzag spring strips.

terconnecting said zigzag spring strips.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 216,634 Underwood June 17, 1879 823,427 Mellon June 12, 19061,164,534 Lewis Dec. 14, 1915 1,846,848 Costigan Feb. 23, 1932 2,002,157Reed May 21, 1935 2,012,575 McInerney Aug. 27, 1935 2,059,424 WesleyNov. 3, 1936 2,186,548 Lotz Jan. 9, 1940 2,291,429 Wolfe July 28, 19422,315,543 Pilero et al Apr. 6, 1943 2,315,706 Hopkes Apr. 6, 19432,526,184 Williams et a1 Oct. 17, 1950 2,613,732 Dye et a1 Oct. 14, 1952FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 360,615 Great Britain Nov. 12, 1931587,828 Great Britain May 7, 1947

